Sep. 21, 2021
HARRISBURG – The House on Monday voted unanimously to pass Rep. Milou Mackenzie’s (R-Lehigh/Montgomery/Northampton)
House Bill 1657 as they continue to help provide further protections for children in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 1657 seeks to clarify in the current Child Protective Services Law that allowing a child to be present where methamphetamine is being produced is child abuse and removes the requirement that the underlying criminal violation is being investigated by law enforcement.
“My legislation would effectively close a loophole in our state’s Child Protective Services Law relating to child abuse and meth houses,” said Mackenzie. “Because cooking meth is a uniquely dangerous criminal activity, our law provides that it is per se ‘child abuse’ to cause a child to be present where methamphetamine is being produced. However, the law is inexplicably silent on allowing – or even forcing – a child to be present while the same dangerous activity is taking place. I cannot imagine this discrepancy was intentional, but it is something that needs to be fixed for the sake of the children put in these incredibly dangerous situations. I want to thank my colleagues for the overwhelming bipartisan support and encourage my Senate counterparts to vote on this critical piece of legislation.”
Mackenzie’s legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
For more information on House Bill 1657 visit here.
Rep. Milou Mackenzie
131st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Abby Chiumento
717.260.6617
achiumento@pahousegop.com
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